- 1 Espanyol Barcelona vs Levante: 10 wins in 44 meetings, and the history is lopsided
- 2 Espanyol Barcelona: home edge to cash in on, pre-season that fell flat
- 3 Levante: survival secured, squad rebuilt
- 4 La Liga Prediction Espanyol Barcelona vs Levante
- 5 First, a word on our free tips
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information changes fast
- 8 Your role
- 9 Responsible gambling first
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About the images…
Espanyol Barcelona vs Levante: 10 wins in 44 meetings, and the history is lopsided 
Levante have won only 10 of their 44 clashes with Espanyol in all competitions. The long-term record is brutal.
The two clubs kick off their 2026-27 La Liga season on Sunday night at the RCDE Stadium. Opening day, first proper read on where both sides stand.
Espanyol came through last season with 46 points and 11th place, their best finish since 2018-19. The Catalan club are heading into a third straight year in the top flight.
Levante, meanwhile, finished 16th with 42 points, the same total that sent Mallorca down from 18th. It was that tight.
The last two meetings between these sides both ended level, 1-1 in Valencia and 0-0 in Catalonia. On the pitch, it is usually a far closer contest than the overall record suggests.
Manolo Gonzalez saw his side drift badly in the second half of last season after a first half that had them looking like a top-six outfit. There is still work to do.
Across the dugout, Luis Castro pulled off the most dramatic escape act in Spain last year. He arrived in December with Levante bottom of the table and hauled them up to 16th.
Espanyol Barcelona: home edge to cash in on, pre-season that fell flat 
Espanyol have failed to win any of their last four pre-season matches. The latest, a 3-1 defeat to Coventry City, did nothing to calm nerves.
Their summer started nicely enough with a 3-0 win at Olot and a 4-0 victory over Pau. Then came three straight draws against Sabadell, Burnley and Middlesbrough.
Recruitment has been fairly restrained, with four arrivals: Alex Calatrava, Unai Nunez, Quilindschy Hartman and Gabriel Moscardo. The club say more business could still get done before the window shuts.
The squad has also been trimmed, with 10 departures including Charles Pickel, Fernando Calero and Hugo Perez. Putting together a settled starting XI in one day is no easy job.
Gonzalez will be without Javi Puado and Kike Garcia, both injured. Two attacking absences that matter on a night like this.
Roberto Fernandez is expected to lead the line, with Calatrava possibly handed a first start as the No 10. Omar El Hilali is also tipped to be in the XI.
The RCDE Stadium remains Espanyol’s biggest weapon. Last season, they built their comfortable survival on this ground.
Try it for $0.99.
Levante: survival secured, squad rebuilt 
Levante finished 2025-26 with 11 wins, nine draws and 18 defeats. That 42-point haul was just enough to stay up.
The season began in dreadful fashion, with only two wins in the first 15 league matches. The managerial change in December turned everything around.
Luis Castro steadied the ship and now has a reshaped squad on his hands. Six new players arrived this summer, including Yanis Musuayi and Hugo Sotelo.
The biggest loss is Carlos Espi, who joined Real Madrid after his release clause of 21.4 million pounds was triggered. That is not the sort of hole you fill in a single window.
Aissa Mandi, signed on a free from Lille this summer, is set to start at centre-back at 34. A patched-up defence up against a Catalan attack that has also been reworked.
At the sharp end, Ivan Romero is expected to feature after scoring seven goals in all competitions last season. Carlos Alvarez should be alongside him.
Roger Brugue will miss out through suspension, but there are no reported fitness issues in the squad. Pre-season ended with a 3-1 win over Castellon.
Expected Espanyol Barcelona XI: Dmitrovic ; El Hilali, Nunez, Cabrera, Hinojo ; Zarate, Exposito ; Dolan, Calatrava, Hernandez ; Fernandez
Expected Levante XI: Ryan ; Perez, Mandi, De la Fuente, Sanchez ; V. Garcia, Olasagasti, Rey, Alvarez, Cortes ; Romero
La Liga Prediction Espanyol Barcelona vs Levante
Our prediction: Espanyol Barcelona to win
The statistical model gives a 47.9% chance of a Catalan win, against 26.3% for Levante and 25.9% for the draw. That is not a small gap.
Levante arrive with a brand-new central defence, a striker sold to Real Madrid and a record of just 10 wins in 44 meetings with this opponent. On paper and in context, it is all stacked against them.
Sports Mole sees a 2-1 home win, and the RCDE Stadium edge could decide a game with little else between the sides. Espanyol to take the three points.
in your pocket.
Real-time notifications & alerts
_________
First, a word on our free tips
- What we publish on mathodds is analysis, nothing more. We share an opinion, a read on the moment, but never a guarantee. Sport is what it is: unpredictable. A red card, an injury, a goal out of nowhere… and the script changes completely.
- Let’s be clear: there is no risk-free bet. Even when something looks obvious, it never really is. And yes, that means you can lose. In fact, you will at some point.
- The smart move is to stay sensible. Bet small, set a budget and stick to it. Don’t touch money you need to live. And above all, don’t chase losses — that usually ends badly.
- A bet should stay a bit of fun, not a job or a source of income. If you feel it is taking over your daily life, if it is getting on your nerves or putting you under pressure, take a break. And if needed, speak to a specialist organisation. That is what they are there for.
- In the end, responsibility is yours. Reading our content means accepting that risk exists and never goes away, even with the best analysis in the world.
- Essential reminder: betting is illegal for minors and must comply with the law in your country. Gambling can get out of hand quickly (money losses, family tension, addiction). Need Help? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. In the UK? Visit https://www.gambleaware.org/https://www.gambleaware.org/.
No commitment from us
Our tips are not a contract. They have no legal force. In plain terms: you cannot use them to claim anything if a bet loses.
Information changes fast
A prediction is always based on what we know when it is written. But in the meantime, a team sheet changes (like Espanyol Barcelona’s, for example), a player picks up an injury, the weather turns… and the analysis can quickly go stale. We cannot be held responsible for that.
Your role
Before you bet, make sure gambling is legal where you are. If it is not, that is your responsibility, not ours.
Responsible gambling first
We cannot say it enough: bet in moderation. If you are struggling to stay in control, do not wait to get help. We cannot be responsible for compulsive or excessive use of the information published on the site.
Legal age
mathodds content is for adults only. By browsing here, you confirm you are of legal age to bet.
About the images…
The images and logos of Espanyol Barcelona and Levante used on mathodds, including those linked to La Liga, are there only to illustrate our articles. They do not mean we have any official link with a federation or sports body, and we do not claim any rights over them.
Those rights belong to the original creators. If, despite our care, any image is a problem, contact us: it will be removed promptly.
Our only aim with these images is to make the reading experience better. Nothing more. No commercial gain, no taking credit for someone else’s work.
Leave a Reply